Analysis and comment from Memphis, Tennessee, on media, politics, culture, science, my life and anything else that catches my eye.

Wednesday, October 08, 2003

Come See The Liberal Bias! Come See The Liberal Bias!

Yeah, there's no liberal bias. Not at all. Except on CNN.

CNN's original story on the victory of Arnorld Schwarzenegger in the California recall read like this:

He has also been dogged by allegations that he expressed admiration for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in a 1975 interview, though those charges largely dissipated after two figures involved in the interview discounted them. Schwarzenegger, who, like Hitler, is a native of Austria, has vehemently denied that he ever had Nazi sympathies.

"Schwarzenegger, who, like Hitler, is a native of Austria...." What? So all Austrians have Hitler-like impulses? This is fair and neutral, balanced and objective reporting?

You can see the text of the original here. An Arizona television station reprinted the story, apparently not looking through the text. Or not finding it objectionable, who knows?

CNN, however, quickly covered their mistake. Here's what the page reads now:

After surging ahead in polls after a September 24 debate, the actor found himself fending off the sexual harassment allegations and a claim that he expressed admiration for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in a 1975 interview.

While vehemently denying he had Nazi sympathies, Schwarzenegger both apologized for behaving badly and disputed some of the accusations, but he has given no specifics

Although someone, somewhere, for some reason, decided to change the story, nope, no liberal bias here. The press is fair and neutral.